Plot: Rachel Shommer and her fiancé, Jeremy Nybor, eagerly await the release of U-Phone XV’s instant posting feature. It will allow the user to post thoughts without the hassle of typing. All anyone has to do is merely think, and their thoughts are posted. “My first insta-post will be one saying how much I loveContinue reading “Review of “U-Phone XV Presents Insta-Post” by James Rumpel”
Tag Archives: fiction
Review of “Be Nice to the Butcher” by Danny Macks
Plot: The unnamed narrator describes the stranger who strikes up a conversation with him: “the friendly type, grey at the temples, with the stocky blue-collar build of a man who never lifted a barbell in his life, but could still bench-press me over his head.” They talk about this and that, discuss what brought themContinue reading “Review of “Be Nice to the Butcher” by Danny Macks”
Review of “Hero” by Harris Coverley
Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay Plot: Everyone appears to be dead and unburied except for the narrator, who, it becomes clear, did not kill anyone. He (?) finds ways to fill the time. He drains a stagnant lake (“they’re all stagnant anyway,” he tells the reader) just to see what’s on the bottom. HeContinue reading “Review of “Hero” by Harris Coverley”
Review of “The Grandfathers of Benson’s Corners” by Roy Dorman
Image by tim striker from Pixabay Plot: As all grandfathers of Benson’s Corners do when their oldest grandson turns ten, Elmer Ebsen is going into the woods. The whole town turns out for a day of picnicking near the edge of Devil’s Woods. At the end of the day, Elmer, carrying an ax and a gunnyContinue reading “Review of “The Grandfathers of Benson’s Corners” by Roy Dorman”
Review of “Bring Me The Head” by Don Plattner
Image by Yuri_B from Pixabay Plot: Far from home, on the planet Caratax, the narrator’s unit of Sethorians, receive an offer from their commander: “Bring me the severed head of a Corgolian, and I will provide nanobots that let you see the color purple.” Well, yeah, that is pretty brutal. The soldiers understand that. They’re supposed toContinue reading “Review of “Bring Me The Head” by Don Plattner”
Review of “The Thirteenth Guest” (1932)
Image courtesy of Pixabay For last week’s Saturday night pizza and bad movie night, we chose a murder mystery with Fred Astaire’s future dance partner. I added jalapenos to my side of the pizza. Plot: Thirteen years before the action of the movie, the Morgan family held a dinner party for thirteen guests. Only twelveContinue reading “Review of “The Thirteenth Guest” (1932)”
Review of “Gaia Hypothesis” by Eden Fenn
Image courtesy of Pixabay Plot: The colonists on Mars keep dying regardless of what intervention the experts take: increased exercise to combat the difference in gravity, a stronger ion shield to protect against radiation and to ward off cancer, sunlamps, vitamins, antidepressants, and sleeping pills. After its founding ten years earlier, no one from theContinue reading “Review of “Gaia Hypothesis” by Eden Fenn”
Review of “This Island Earth” (1955)
Our traditional Saturday pizza and bad movie night makes for a bright spot in this stay at home business. Plot: Dr. Cal Meacham (Rex Reason) is an Air Force jet pilot and an electronics engineer working on a way to make atomic power more user friendly to Mr. and Mrs. Jones. On his way outContinue reading “Review of “This Island Earth” (1955)”
Review of “Mad Science” by Jo Mularczyk
Plot: Julia finds herself standing in the church she knew in childhood, the successful result of the working of her newly-developed displacement nodule. The device allows a person to be transported anywhere instantaneously. It’s small enough to fit into Julia’s hand and responds to voice commands. Julia is not sure why she’s in the church,Continue reading “Review of “Mad Science” by Jo Mularczyk”
Review of “Dust to Dust” by Tom Howard
Plot: Spy novelist Alex Poe has returned to his home town of Bidderville. He first left Bidderville thirty years earlier when he was eighteen. His last trip back was twenty years before now for his mother’s funeral. Today he’s returned for another funeral and a favor. He’s come to visit his great-aunt Phaedra. Her trailerContinue reading “Review of “Dust to Dust” by Tom Howard”
Reviews of Old and New Stories. Mostly Old 